


pretend like there's no world outside

by brightbolt, NSFWAdora



Category: She-Ra and the Princesses of Power (2018)
Genre: Alternate Universe - College/University, Alternate Universe - Modern Setting, Date Night, Domestic Fluff, F/F, Fluff, Nonbinary Character, Valentine's Day Fic Exchange, nonbinary adora
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2021-02-14
Updated: 2021-02-14
Packaged: 2021-03-15 17:47:41
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings, No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,947
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/29439963
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/brightbolt/pseuds/brightbolt, https://archiveofourown.org/users/NSFWAdora/pseuds/NSFWAdora
Summary: "Adora had graduated the summer before — and had accepted a creative position at an advertising firm a week later thanks to her networking ability — but Catra was still in her last year of college. She was an excellent student, of course, but academic pressure didn’t discriminate.Every day, it seemed like there was something new for her to stress about. There was her capstone project, her upcoming fluid dynamics exam, and the idea of applying to grad school— it was a lot for her to handle.They had been dating for the last three years and living together for the last two, but between Adora’s work schedule and Catra’s classes it felt as though it had been weeks since they’d seen each other.That would change today."Or, Adora plans a date night. Catra gets to relax for a moment. They remember why they fell in love in the first place.
Relationships: Adora/Catra (She-Ra)
Comments: 9
Kudos: 195
Collections: whispering woods library valentines day fic exchange





	pretend like there's no world outside

**Author's Note:**

  * For [scntuary](https://archiveofourown.org/users/scntuary/gifts).



> here's alex & my contribution to the vday fic exchange! have 3k words of pure, unadulterated fluff :) this is the first fic we've gotten to write together and i think it shows in how damn soft these two are. happy valentines day and enjoy :)
> 
> (title from banana pancakes - jack johnson)

Of all the days Adora had worked in her life, this one was absolutely, inarguably, and undebatably the fucking longest.

Her day had been filled with seemingly endless meetings, conference calls, and meaningless conversations. As soon as 5pm came around, she was out the door like a rocket.

Now, she was vibrating with excitement and singing along to Fleetwood Mac as she pulled up to a red light. The car rocked gently as she rolled to a stop, and her eyes still shifted anxiously to the Thai food resting on the passenger side. 

Finally, finally, she was going to get to spend time with her girlfriend and help her relax after the stress of her exams.

Adora had graduated the summer before — and had accepted a creative position at an advertising firm a week later thanks to her networking ability — but Catra was still in her last year of college. She was an excellent student, of course, but academic pressure didn’t discriminate.

Every day, it seemed like there was something new for her to stress about. There was her capstone project, her upcoming fluid dynamics exam, and the idea of applying to grad school— it was a lot for her to handle.

They had been dating for the last three years and living together for the last two, but between Adora’s work schedule and Catra’s classes it felt as though it had been weeks since they’d seen each other.

That would change today. 

Catra was finishing up the last of her exams for the next month and Adora had just turned in an idea to her boss that could easily earn her a CLIO. She was ready to spend as much time as she could with her girlfriend and give her the love she deserved.

Adora had had the whole night planned out for days. Slowly, she was getting to cross off each individual item from her list.

First, there was dinner. Back as underclassmen, Catra had taken her to a Thai place a few blocks away, and it was still their favorite place in town. Adora swore she’d never had better pineapple curry. 

She’d timed it all out perfectly, and had called in the order just as she left work to make sure it was ready by the time she got back to town.

Then there was the matter of dessert. Adora had never been particularly good at cooking, but she could follow directions. Baking wasn’t as inaccessible. She was going to make Catra’s favorite— lemon bars.

Catra never allowed herself time to relax, so Adora had stopped at Whole Foods to buy a few bottles of horribly overpriced essential oils. She planned on drawing them both a hot bath and using Catra’s fancy shampoo to help relieve any remaining tension.

To top it all off, there was a new season of the Great British Bake-Off waiting for them on Netflix.

In other words, it was going to be a fucking amazing night. 

A warm feeling of anticipation had settled in Adora by the time she reached their apartment.

She took the stairs two at a time, only barely remembering not to spill the curry, until she made it out their door. 

Adora set the bags down on the counter and looked around the kitchen for a moment, debating what to do next. She would need music — doing anything in silence wasn’t an option for her — which meant, tonight, their shared record player.

She picked a record at random and put it on, and as soon as music filled the apartment she felt more at ease.

Adora looked for her next job, trying to organize her scattered thoughts into a list. Her eyes landed on the dishes in the sink. 

Catra had left for her test in the early afternoon, which meant she had been too busy cramming to clean up from lunch. 

It wasn’t anything out of the ordinary, really, but when Catra got stressed she needed things neat. Cleaning would be a small courtesy.

So, rolling her sleeves up to the elbow, Adora took the food from its bag, set it on the counter, and began to wash the dishes.

By the time Catra got home, the kitchen was practically sparkling.

Catra entered with a huff of frustration, but the moment she heard Blackbird on the record player, and Adora singing along in the kitchen, she couldn’t help but smile.

Her exam had been exhausting, and she was going to be lucky if she kept her A in the class, but none of that mattered the moment she saw her partner dancing around in the kitchen and hissing as she grabbed something from the oven.

“What’s all this?” Catra raised a brow as she dropped her backpack by the couch and leaned against the kitchen island.

Adora whipped around, obviously startled. Her short hair was messy and had flecks of what looked like powdered sugar in it, her dress shirt unbuttoned, and her crimson tie loosened around her neck. The look of confusion on her face melted the moment her eyes met Catra’s. 

“Hey, babe,” She said, giving Catra a smile. “How was the test?”

Catra let out a groan in response, crossing her arms over her chest. “Oh my God, so bad. You know how I’m, like, terrible about remembering to factor in—” She blinked as her eyes landed on the dish in Adora’s hands. “Are you making lemon bars?”

“Oh,” Adora said, looking down at the dish in her hands as though she’d forgotten about it. “Um, yeah. I thought it would be a nice surprise.”

“It’s… definitely a surprise, yeah.” Catra was very aware that Adora hardly ventured into the kitchen. She was usually the one to cook while Adora cleaned her mess up afterward. “What’s the special occasion? Wait, did Glimmer and Bow break up? I swear to Go—”

“No! Babe, everything’s fine.” She put the pan down on the island. “I just wanted to do something nice for you.” The pink starting to color Adora’s ears was very evident. “You’ve been so stressed and working so hard, and I know we’ve both been busy so…”

Catra couldn’t help the shit-eating grin on her face. “You like me. Do you have a crush on me or something?”

Adora rolled her eyes, trying and failing to hide a smile. “You’re so annoying. I do something sweet for you, and you decide to bully me for it,” She said, sighing in mock weariness. “What a world we live in.”

Catra hummed in agreement. “Borderline homophobic.” A companionable silence settled between them. Catra walked over to Adora, putting a hand on her chest as she stood up on her tiptoes for a soft, gentle kiss. “Thank you,” Catra said softly. “This is really, really nice.”

“Anything for my crush,” Adora said, giving her a peck. “Take your shoes off. I’ll bring you your plate.”

The dinner ended up being perfect, of course. Adora had spent too much time planning it to let it be anything different.

The food was the perfect temperature by the time they sat down to eat. Adora had even gone the extra mile to plate everything neatly, as though they were in a fancy restaurant rather than their living room. 

They talked — really, truly talked — for the first time in what felt like weeks. It didn’t take long to settle back into their normal routine. 

Adora updated Catra on the possible promotion she was already up for, Catra ranted about the annoying boy in her mechanical design class, and they talked about what coordinating outfits they wanted to wear to Adora’s five-year high school reunion.

To be completely honest, it was perfect. Adora felt a warm, comfortable feeling settle in her chest. It didn’t take her long to recognize it as love.

After dinner came the bath. 

Adora had Catra stay in her seat and enjoy an extra lemon bar while she got everything set up. She laid out the essential oils, lining them up neatly on the edge of the tub, and lit an assortment of candles to set the mood.

When it was ready, Catra walked into the bathroom to see a very handsome, very naked Adora.

“Babe, you know I love seeing you like this,” Catra said, running her eyes up and down Adora’s body, “but I don’t think I can have sex right after eating so much.”

Adora rolled her eyes. “We’re not gonna have sex.” She blinked, reconsidering. “I mean, we might have sex later, but for now I just wanted to give you a bath. Y’know, since you’ve been so stressed lately.”

Catra took in the candles, the sweet-smelling water, and the gentle music with a slow smile. “I love you. Thank you.”

She closed the gap between the two of them and took Catra’s hands in hers. “I love you too. Now get undressed,” She said, pressing a kiss to Catra’s forehead. “I wanna play with your hair.”

Catra did so without further argument. 

Adora watched her with a soft look on her face, admiring the curves and dips of Catra’s body. She knew it as well as she knew her own— even better, maybe. 

She took her time, letting her eyes roam freely over the lean muscles in her legs and back, the freckles that dotted her shoulders, and the stretch marks on her hips. 

All she could think about was how beautiful Catra was. They had been together three and a half years (and counting), and she was still the most gorgeous woman Adora had ever seen.

Catra noticed her staring and crossed her arms over her chest, almost shy. “Why are you looking at me like that?” She asked, laughing nervously.

“I love you,” Adora said. “Do you know that?”

Catra smiled, walking over to the tub. “Of course I know that, dummy. You show me every day.” The water was warm when Catra stepped in, and it smelled like lavender and rose. “Five-star treatment tonight, I see,” She said, easing herself gently into the tub. “I can’t wait to give my Yelp review.”

Adora settled in behind her and left a feather-light kiss on the back of Catra’s neck. “Anything for you, my heart.” Another kiss, this time to the birthmark on Catra’s shoulder. “You’re my whole world.”

They sat in the water for a moment, adjusting as Catra pressed up against Adora’s chest and Adora’s chin resting on her shoulder. 

Even before her top surgery, Catra had loved Adora’s chest. Now, with her scars healing so well and her strength regained, she found more and more reasons to love it every day.

The music from the record player was soft as it trailed into the bathroom, but Catra could feel the vibrations from Adora’s chest as she hummed along to Jack Johnson.

Catra closed her eyes, leaning back against the strong, solid chest behind her, and let out a contented sigh.

After a few minutes, Adora wove her fingers through Catra’s hair, gently untangling the knots that had formed throughout the day. Catra couldn’t help the soft noise that left her throat as she felt Adora massaging her scalp. 

“You’re good at that,” Catra breathed out with a sigh. She could feel the weeks of tension escaping her as Adora continued her ministrations.

Adora smiled behind her. Catra could hear it in her voice. “I do my best,” She said, scratching lightly at Catra’s scalp. She reached over for the shampoo bottle, putting a generous dollop in her hands before returning to Catra’s head. 

Catra let herself lean back into Adora’s touch. “I missed you,” She said. “I didn’t realize how much until tonight, but… fuck.”

Adora’s hands stilled for a moment before resuming their work. “I missed you, too. But it happens sometimes, baby. That’s why I wanted to do this for you.”

When she had finished with the shampoo, Adora cupped her hands and brought slow, careful handfuls of water up to rinse it out. 

She repeated the process with Catra’s conditioner, giving it time to soak in before rinsing it out. Between Adora’s hands, the dim light of the candles, and the gentle, sweet-smelling aroma of the water, Catra swore she’d died and gone to heaven.

They sat in the water together until it grew cold. Adora stepped out first and Catra whined at the loss of body heat. “Come back.” The dramatic frown on her face was too cute and Adora leaned back over the tub and gave her girlfriend a gentle peck.

“I’m just getting our towels, you big baby.”

“I’m not just any big baby. I’m your big baby. You’re stuck with me.”

Adora smiled to herself as she grabbed the towels. She made it back to the tub and held Catra’s hand to help her up.

Both of them wrapped themselves up in the fluffy white towels, Adora’s around her hips and Catra’s sitting just above her chest. Adora could see Catra staring at her in the mirror. “What?”

“You look handsome,” She murmured. “Especially with how well your scars are healing.”

It was a compliment Adora had heard a thousand times, but it still made her blush. “Thank you,” She said quietly. “I feel handsome.”

Catra moved closer and ran her fingers through Adora’s wet hair. “My handsome man,” She said, smiling. “I like the haircut, too. Very surfer—bro of you.”

Adora ran a hand through her hair, shaking it out. “Yeah?”

“Yeah,” Catra nodded. Adora had always had a complex relationship with gender, but Catra loved affirming her and making her feel as loved as possible. “I love it. I love everything about you. You know that, right?”

Adora wrapped her arms around Catra’s waist, holding her in a gentle embrace. “Even my burps and farts?” She asked, raising an eyebrow.

“Yeah, you’re my stinky boy.”

Adora wrinkled her nose. “Okay, I’m vetoing that one.”

“Oh, so you can make a fart joke, but I can’t capitalize on it?” Catra raised her eyebrows. “Wow. Just say you hate me.”

Adora rolled her eyes. “Stop it. You know I could never hate you.”

“I do.” Catra nodded, letting out a contented sigh. “Alright, you knocked it out of the park with dinner and a bath. What’s next?”

“Bake-Off,” Adora said sweetly. “With pajamas and leftover lemon bars.”

Catra couldn’t keep the smile off her face. “You know me so well.”

They took their time getting dressed. There was no rush, after all. Catra opted for one of Adora’s old high-school hoodies and a pair of boxers, while Adora went for a t-shirt and flannel pants.

They cuddled on the couch in their favorite position, with Catra tucked into Adora’s side and her legs thrown haphazardly over Adora’s lap. Their intertwined hands rested lightly on Catra’s thigh. 

Adora couldn’t stop glancing down at their matching rings. They had been Catra’s idea, somewhere around the middle of their second year together. I know we’re not married yet, Catra had said, but still. One day, right?

Adora smiled at the memory. One day, just like Catra said, they would be replaced with wedding bands.

Both of them watched the episode with undivided attention. They made small comments about how someone’s cake was bound to be underbaked, or how this week’s technical challenge was even more impossible than the last one.

The evening was tender and slow. Every part of it reminded Catra of why she had fallen in love with Adora in the first place. 

Simply put, Adora was her best friend. 

She was the person who made Catra feel safest and who she felt completely comfortable being vulnerable. There was never a fear of losing her over some small mistake, because she knew no matter what they would work things out.

From the moment they shared their first kiss in Catra’s dorm room all those years ago, she had known that Adora was the person she wanted to spend forever with. 

Whether that be tension filled nights full of anxiety over an exam, or relaxing evenings where Adora pampered her, Adora was her home. There was no place Catra would rather be than in her arms.

As the episode was drawing to a close, Catra nuzzled into Adora’s body even further. She pressed gentle kisses to her partner’s neck and Adora turned her eyes away from the screen and looked at her girlfriend. 

“What?” She asked, cocking her head to the side. 

“Thank you,” Catra said, her voice soft. “You take such good care of me.”

Adora kissed her forehead lightly. “Of course I do. You’re my wife.”

Catra wiggled a little, as though she had to move to release some of the pent up happiness. “I can’t wait till that becomes official.”

“Just a few more years, baby. Then I can propose and we can get married in Napa just like you talked about.”

“Can I propose to you, too?” Catra asked.

Adora raised her eyebrows in mild surprise. “Do you want to?”

“Of course I want to.” Catra fiddled with the silver band on Adora’s finger. “Everyone deserves to be proposed to. And you’re, like, the love of my life,” She said, trying not to blush. “I want to.”

Adora smiled. “Well, if you want to, then of course you can. I would love that.” She paused for a moment, looking at Catra. “You’re mine, too.”

“What?”

“The love of my life,” Adora explained. “I fall in love with you more every day.”

Catra smiled at her. “That’s how I feel about you, too.” She lifted up one of her hands, sticking her pinky out. “Pinky promise you love me?”

Adora grinned, linking their fingers together. “I promise.”

**Author's Note:**

> if you liked this, you can find more of our (much more angsty work) on our ao3 pages, and more of our rambling thoughts on twitter (where we're @brightb0lts and @hetheyadora) or on tumblr (where we're @brightbolts and @adorasheart)!


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